


Where The Wild Things Are

by PhantomsVixen008



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Daddy Oswald, Gen, pure fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-20
Updated: 2017-11-20
Packaged: 2019-02-04 20:20:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 707
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12778749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhantomsVixen008/pseuds/PhantomsVixen008
Summary: Oswald finds his adopted son on the sofa, scared of the monsters under his bed. So he reads him a story. The excerpts are taken from Maurice Sendak's "Where The Wild Things Are". This is pure fluff .. and probably the shortest thing I've ever written ..





	Where The Wild Things Are

“And Max, the king of all wild things, was lonely and wanted to be where someone loved him best of all.” ...

 

The words on the page seemed to blur together. Oswald rubbed at his bleary eyes, glancing over at the clock on the mantel. A quarter after three in the morning. No wonder he was so tired, he thought to himself. He'd been going over his books since about ten p.m. 

Standing up from his desk, he felt his bones ache in protest. He'd been sitting way too long in one spot. Giving a soft groan, he hobbled from his office. Blinking as he walked into the sitting room, he saw Martin curled up on the sofa. He looked so tiny and so frail and it broke Oswald's heart. 

"Martin, what are you doing out of bed?" he asked softly. 

The little boy stirred, grabbing his pen and pad from the table. He scribbled out, "I had a bad dream. There are monsters under my bed." 

Giving him a tired smile, Oswald moved to sit down next to him. "I promise you, there are no monsters under your bed. The monsters could never get into this house. You're safe here. You're safe with me." 

He pulled the little boy closer, wrapping the blanket from the back of the sofa around him. "It's far too drafty down here. You'd be much warmer up in your bed." 

Martin clutched his adoptive father, shaking his head. If it had been anyone else, Oswald would have grown impatient and frustrated. But not with his little boy. The child had been through so much, and always managed to come out stronger each time. He reminded the crime boss so much of himself. Maybe even more resilient in a way. Gently he wrapped his arm around the boy, pulling his head to his chest. 

"Would you feel better if I read you a story?" 

He felt the boy nod, his dark brown curls flopping into his face. 

Chuckling softly, Oswald carefully moved to pick up the book that Martin had become obsessed with. For a boy who was frightened of monsters under his bed, he sure had grown fond of the book with the big horned beast on the front. Pulling the covers around Martin a bit more tightly, Oswald began to read. 

"The night Max wore his wolf suit and made mischief of one kind and another his mother called him 'WILD THING!' and Max said 'I'LL EAT YOU UP!' so he was sent to bed without eating anything." 

Even though he was tired, Oswald continued the story, even doing the monster voices that made Martin smile. When he didn't respond, Oswald looked down to see the boy sound asleep curled up against him. 

He quietly closed the book, feeling a lump in his throat. This mute boy who had stumbled into his life had made him feel things he'd sworn to never feel again. He felt such love and deep caring for him. And protectiveness. He'd never allow another soul to touch him. Not after all the things had happened with Pyg. His heart seized in his chest as he thought of how close he'd come to losing him. 

He reached up, stroking the soft brown curls. "I always felt I had nothing in my life," he whispered, talking to himself," everyone I loved was always taken away from me. I thought I didn't deserve good things," he continued, his voice cracking. "And I don't believe now that I deserve you. But I swear on all that I am, I will never let a soul harm you again." 

The hot tears rolled down Oswald's cheeks, and he did nothing to stop them. "You will never have to run away to where the wild things are. Because I promise you, my Martin, you are where someone loves you best of all." 

He wiped at his cheeks, the lump still in his throat as he looked down at the sleeping child. He looked so innocent and sweet and in that moment, Oswald knew that everything happened for a reason. This little boy was his reason to move on. To be the person Martin needed. Nothing else in the entire world mattered now.


End file.
